PEACE CENTER SOON TO RISE
In Photo: MOA SIGNING AND GROUNDBREAKING (From l-r) Director Christina Loren B. Umali, PAPRU Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr., Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, and Vice-Mayor Faustino Olowan also with the presence assisted in groundbreaking Maj Gen. Audrey Landicho Pasia, Councilor Jose Joemol Molintas, and City Admin Bonifacio dela Peña held at the Former Treasurer’s Cabin, Upper Session Road, DPS Compound on February 16, 2024. Photo by: Mario Oclaman // FNS
BAGUIO CITY – (February 16, 2024) The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) is committed to achieving lasting peace by fostering resilience and advancing social, economic, and political reengineering.
The PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayanaNAn (PAMANA) as the flagship peace and development initiative of OPAPRU, supports Philippine peace processes at the national level – directly and actively contributing to the transformation and normalization program in the implementation of various peace agreements while ensuring the sustainability of project interventions in peace and development process.
To facilitate the implementation of the Fiscal Year 2024 PAMANA project and recognize the pivotal role of local government units in peacebuilding, the OPAPRU is to announce its partnership with the City Local Government of Baguio through the leadership of Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong for the implementation of the PAMANA project in Baguio City.
Mayor Magalong is very thankful to Secretary Galvez, the mayor said, “The Peace Center is the first of its kind in Northern Luzon, I presume this is the first center that will be put up by OPAPRU and we are lucky that finally they have chosen Baguio.
“But the conceptual design of P50 million is not enough but the Secretary decided on the additional P30 million for the textures, types of furniture, and office equipment, this will be jointly managed by the OPAPRU and the local government of Baguio on the side of the local government of Baguio our equity is the land, this is a prime property but its worth it considering we are going to use as training center and convention area, mapapakinabangan natin mabuti ito at ng OPAPRU, hindi lang taga Baguio pati yun mga brothers and sisters natin from other parts of the Cordillera this can serve also as other alternate venue for our convention and conferences,”
Secretary Galvez said, “May transformation program tayo na yun lahat na mga affected areas babaguhin na natin ang pag iisip na maging peaceful at productive community at ito ay ia-angkla natin sa Bagong Pilipinas,”
“Itong Peace Development Center is very timely magagamit ito as training center pwedeng gamitin ng TESDA at ng mga universities ang target date na matapos natin ito mga two years time at ang estimate budget nito is 50 million and this Center is four-storey with two basement parking ,” Galvez concluded. ### Mario Oclaman //FNS
